Periodic Paleo Posting - The Pie Cabinet

[bockryan]

Recently made some modifications and additions to my main display case and was inspired by some other threads to start working through my collection one fossil at a time (hopefully every few days) to sharpen some IDs and learn more about the fossils I’ve been collecting. Some of these fossils are in my main album, but many have not been added yet so this will be a good incentive to get things photographed, ID’d, and uploaded. Eagle-eyed forum members may spot a few gifts and exchanges from the forum that have enriched my collection.

 

First, some interesting history – the cabinet previously belonged to my great-uncle, who led an interesting life as a cook in the paratroopers during the Second World War, then as a bar owner in Greektown in Detroit, which is where he acquired it to store pies. Hopefully he wouldn’t mind that it’s now full of rocks.

 

I’ve added some fairly crude lighting (the next project might be to make it a bit more sophisticated) and an additional shelf made from acrylic. A friend helped me out by duplicating the two brackets used to support the shelves using his 3D printer. He also gifted me a 3D printed trilobite to grace the collection – pretty cool!

 

 

 

 

The first fossil is the ubiquitous Neuropteris ovata from the Llewellyn Formation exposure in Centralia, PA. There are a couple of fairly nice examples on this plate solidly preserved in white. Much of the material here is very flakey and prone to breaking, so it’s nice to get a good, solid piece (with the help of a little consolidation in some of the cracks, and a very thin layer of Paraloid on the fossils to prevent flaking). The white color, famously associated with the St. Claire locality, is due to the involvement of pyrophyllite and kaolinite in the fossilization process. A couple good explanations can be found here and here. There is also an ESCONI Species Spotlight on N. ovata that includes some fun paleoart and some gorgeous specimens from Mazon Creek concretions.

 

 

 

My label for this specimen is:

Neuropteris ovata

Centralia, PA

Llewellyn Formation

Carboniferous (Late Pennsylvanian)

 

And lastly, a few shots of the collection area. Endless fun slipping and sliding down the hill and coming home looking like you'd been mining coal all day.

 

 

[Ludwigia]

Lookin good. I do believe I recognize a few plant fossils in the cabinet

[Fossildude19]

Aside from the top shelf looking a bit, ... stressed, it is a very nice display! 
Great history behind it, as well.

Thanks for showing us. 

 

[bockryan]

11 minutes ago, Fossildude19 said:

Aside from the top shelf looking a bit, ... stressed, it is a very nice display! 
Great history behind it, as well.

Thanks for showing us. 

 

 

I think that's partially the angle but the shelves are a bit more flexible than I hoped, I may upgrade the thickness. I don't think it's the weight as there's basically nothing on the top shelf and what's there are very light specimens

[bockryan]

Let's do one more plant today, this time moving into the very edge of the early Permian of Pennsylvania. Perhaps someone will be more confident about an ID for this one, but I have it listed currently as Macroneuropteris sp. from the earliest Permian Cassville Shale formation in Carmichaels, PA. This formation produces a lot of beautiful, but extremely fragile, plant fossils and is also known for insects, although I have never seen one. There has also apparently been some debate about whether these rocks are latest Carboniferous or earliest Permian, but from what I've seen/heard it seems to be leaning towards the Permian. This paper might be of interest, although I don't think it is open access. It doesn't seem to matter much at this locality as many of the forms look very similar. 

 

I would be grateful if any plant experts on the forum have any thoughts about an ID, or if this one will have to remain either Macroneuropteris or Neuropteris sp.?

 

Edit: I actually think Odontopteris sp. or O. aequalis would be the better ID? The veins are very fine and it's difficult to see any branching, even with a hand lens. Perhaps that points somewhere else? Missing the tip and the base also doesn't help.

 

 

 

As I said, my current label for this one is:

Macroneuropteris sp.

Carmichaels, PA

Cassville Shale

Early Permian

 

The locality for these is one of the more pleasant places to collect fossils, although caution must be taken around some of the overhangs (personally, I avoid them entirely). Still, a nice place to sit with a hammer in hand while listening to the waterfall. 

 

 

 

Edited September 20 by bockryan

[Shellseeker]

A different world of finds and names for me.  Also great that you can share the views of your hunting locations..   Thanks

[bockryan]

On 9/20/2024 at 8:22 AM, Shellseeker said:

A different world of finds and names for me.  Also great that you can share the views of your hunting locations..   Thanks

 

There is some Miocene material coming up! Can't live in Maryland and avoid the Calvert Cliffs.

The next fossil though is one of my favorites, although visually it is not particularly impressive. It is Diplurus newarki from the famous Late Triassic Old Granton Quarry locality in North Bergen, New Jersey. This quarry is composed of approximately 50% Lockatong Formation and 50% poison ivy, with a few very thin (and, by the time I got there, mostly mined out) layers of fish-producing material. I believe several reptiles, including strange gliding forms, have also been recovered here but I was happy enough to find something that resembles a fish. I believe this one is mostly complete, with the head at the top and most of the tail at the bottom of the first image. 

 

 

 

My current label for this specimen is:

Diplurus newarki

Old Granton Quarry, North Bergen, NJ

Lockatong Formation

Late Triassic

 

I don't have any site pictures this time, but do have some lovely Paleoart from Jason Abdale depicting this species:

 

Edited September 21 by bockryan

[bockryan]

I don't have much to do at work today so will likely get a few more in. Returning to Carboniferous plants, this is Crenulopteris acadica from Mazon Creek. Although it's one of the most common fossil varieties from Mazon, this is still one of my favorites as it is one of the first ones I found and cracked open myself (hence the breaks -_-) and has really lovely mineral staining that adds some color. Will be returning to the same spot next weekend so hopefully will be able to add some new species to the collection from Mazon!

 

Another ESCONI species spotlight that covers Crenulopteris acadica and its very confusing and long naming history.

 

 

 

 

My label for this one is:

Crenulopteris acadica

Mazon Creek, IL (Mazon River)

Francis Creek Shale

Carboniferous (Middle Pennsylvanian)

[bockryan]

One more for the day, moving back in time and out to sea - to the Middle Devonian Mahantango Formation. I have this one listed as Spinocyrtia granulosa, it is a cast but preserves some interesting detail. This one comes from a series of roadcuts near Baker, West Virginia that are described in the classic Fossil Collecting in the Mid-Atlantic States by Jasper Burns. 

 

It is worth plugging the excellent Bringing Fossils to Life site, which is mostly focused on the Seven Stars locality, which is also the Mahantango Formation. The ID guide for brachiopods is very helpful.

 

 

 

 

My label for this one is:

Spinocyrtia granulosa

Baker, WV

Mahantango Formation

Middle Devonian

 

I do wish there was more brachiopod paleoart, it's often difficult to visualize what they would have looked like in life and what they would have been doing. More Devonian sea-floor landscapes please!

 

Edited September 21 by bockryan

[bockryan]

Next one is a small but I think very nice piece of petrified wood from the Triassic Chinle Formation of Woodruff, Arizona. I visited Arizona for a wedding and booked a few extra days to check out Petrified Forest National Park and to do some fossil collecting at a few sites throughout the state. This involved a trip through the mountains during a snow storm and a walk through the very, very cold and windy park - well worth it.

 

 

 

 

 

I don't think anything can be said more specific than "petrified wood" - so my label for this one is:

Petrified Wood

Woodruff, AZ

Chinle Formation

Late Triassic

 

Some site pictures:

 

 

 

And then a few shots from the park and the surrounding area - if you ever get the chance to go, it is an amazing spectacle and produces some really interesting paleontology that is displayed well. Note the snow on the ground!

 

Park entrance:

 

Taken on the mountain pass going from Phoenix to the park: 

 

Some of the formations in the park:

 

And finally, the famous petrified forest:

 

 

 

[bockryan]

Have time to do several today, so next up is Glossus marylandica from the very famous Matoaka Beach Cabins. This is a great area to check out the Calvert Cliffs, which here expose the Choptank and St. Mary's Formations (I think?). I found this one in one of the larger blocks of clay that periodically fall from the cliffs (which provides a good reminder to stay far away from the base of the cliffs). I have never had much luck with shark teeth at Matoaka, but for mollusks and other invertebrates it is a lovely spot and even a quick visit can produce a pretty good collection. This one is, as far as I can tell, absolutely perfect and preserved in life position.

 

 

 

 

My label for this one is:

Glossus marylandica

Matoaka Beach Cabins, MD

Choptank and St. Mary's Formations

Miocene

 

And, as usual, some site pictures. The best hunting at Matoaka is during the winter when the erosion is more intense and the competition is thinner. I think these pictures are from late fall or early spring. It was still cold though!

 

 

 

 

[bockryan]

Last one for today, and the first appearance of the beloved graptolites in this post: I believe these are Climatograptus sp. from the Ordovician Lincolnshire Formation, exposed in the town of Mint Springs, Virginia. The book 101 American Fossil Sites You've Got to See indicates that Nemograptus is also present here, but I didn't see much online. If anyone knows more, that would be helpful. These came out on a larger plate, but a few quick snips with the tile saw produced what I think is a really attractive specimen.

 

 

 

 

My label for these guys is somewhat confused, currently:

Climatograptus sp.

Mint Springs, VA

Lincolnshire and Edinburg Formations

Ordovician

 

I'm not sure why I added the Edinburg Formation, but presumably had some reason. A blog on the subject that I remember accessing has gone offline, so might have to start from scratch to figure that out.

[bockryan]

@paleoflor @connorp @Ludwigia @Krauklis - I'm curious if there's an obvious answer for the ID of the second post, the Permian plant that I think is likely Odontopteris?

 

@Fossildude19 - am I likely correct re Diplurus newarki above in the third post? I saw an older post of yours that listed the known fish from the locality and mine doesn't seem to look like any of the others. Difficult to photograph unfortunately. Is there any benefit to prepping these? It seems like it would be difficult at best.

[connorp]

The indentations in the leaf look more like insect damage than natural splitting. Such insect damage is common in Macroneuropteris for whatever reason.

Edited September 23 by connorp

[bockryan]

1 hour ago, connorp said:

The indentations in the leaf look more like insect damage than natural splitting. Such insect damage is common in Macroneuropteris for whatever reason.

 

Interesting, I've thought about that too but assumed it was just the rock splitting weird. 

 

It does somewhat resemble this, which also has some "bites" or indents: 

 

[Ludwigia]

I'm no great expert at plant identification, but in this case I'd take Macroneuropteris over Odontaspis.

[bockryan]

First one today is the first shark tooth in the thread - might as well start with the biggest one. As usual for me, this isn't a pristine specimen nor is it even particularly big, but it was a fun find and is still the biggest/most "complete" Meg that I've found so far. The Aurora Fossil museum very generously leaves out piles of material for the public to search through and puts on a fun fossil festival every year where they refresh the piles. The downside is that the material, which comes from the nearby phosphate mine, is pretty churned up and most of the fossils are therefore beaten up. Collection at the mine itself used to be possible and many beautiful fossils came out of it, but I believe access is now entirely gone and has been for a fairly long time. Still, the Aurora Fossil Museum is well worth the trip, both for the collecting and for the museum itself.

 

 

 

My label for this one is:

Otodus megalodon

Aurora Fossil Museum, NC

Pungo River and Yorktown Formations

Miocene

 

Some pictures from within the museum and the collecting piles:

 

 

 

 

[Jeffrey P]

Nice collection. Love your Glossus marylandica (tongue shell) and the graptolites. Thanks for sharing. Hope to see more. 

[bockryan]

Thanks @Jeffrey P  There are many more to come, even a few more graptolites!

 

The next one is a not a graptolite, however, it is a stromatoporoid from the Middle Devonian of my home state of Michigan, from the now famous fossil park in Alpena, MI. I hope to return to this park soon, but it is a long way up North for anyone outside of Michigan, and not a trivial drive even starting in the state. Still, it is an awesome park and hopefully serves as a good example of using public lands to educate the wider public about fossils while allowing relatively easy collecting. In addition to literal acres of corals and stromatoporoids, there have been plenty of placoderm fish fragments reported from the site, in addition to the usual Devonian marine suspects like brachiopods, crinoids, etc. So hopefully can track down a few of those on my next visit. 

 

 

 

 

My label for this one is:

Stromatoporoidea    

Alpena, MI    

Rockport Quarry Limestone    

Middle Devonian

[FossilDAWG]

12 hours ago, Ludwigia said:

I'm no great expert at plant identification, but in this case I'd take Macroneuropteris over Odontaspis.

Granted, but what over Macroneuropteris vs Odontopteris?

 

Don

[Ludwigia]

26 minutes ago, FossilDAWG said:

Granted, but what over Macroneuropteris vs Odontopteris?

 

Don

Ok. I got a tooth and a plant mixed up. Sorry about that, but I think you might have understood what I really meant to type.

[bockryan]

At least it isn't the classic Archaeopteris vs. Archaeopteryx!  

[bockryan]

We can do a couple more today I think. Continuing to run through different phyla, we arrive at the cephalopods. This one comes from a lovely railroad cut locality by Newton Hamilton, Pennsylvania that exposes the Early and Middle Devonian Onondaga Formation. It is pyritized and is just missing the very tip, this is the only fossil I managed to find in a couple of hours at the locality, but from what I've read it's likely worth a second trip. I'm not really sure about an ID on this one, I've looked at the lovely ID guide @Bringing Fossils to Life put together and it could be either Bactrites or Michelinoceras (or something else entirely, as I know Michelinoceras was previously a wastebasket taxon). 

 

ID guide: 

 

 

 

 

 

My label for this one is:

Cephalopoda

Newton Hamilton, PA

Onondaga Formation

Early and Middle Devonian

 

Some actually pretty good site pictures for this one:

 

 

 

 

 

[bockryan]

Back to the Triassic and back to plants! This one is Otozamites powelli from the Late Triassic Pekin Formation in North Carolina. I'm a huge fan of the white fossil on cream matrix look and of Mesozoic plants in general, so this is one of my favorites. Mesozoic plants are quite scarce in the Eastern US, so it's nice to have a locality where they can be collected with relative ease. The Pekin Formation preserves a pretty diverse flora and some fauna too, so lots more to hopefully explore on future trips. 

 

 

 

 

My label for this one is:

Otozamites powelli

Gulf, NC

Pekin Formation

Late Triassic

 

And some cool pictures from around the site and some cool old plates from the ID guide:

 

 

 

 

[Ludwigia]

6 hours ago, bockryan said:

We can do a couple more today I think. Continuing to run through different phyla, we arrive at the cephalopods. This one comes from a lovely railroad cut locality by Newton Hamilton, Pennsylvania that exposes the Early and Middle Devonian Onondaga Formation. It is pyritized and is just missing the very tip, this is the only fossil I managed to find in a couple of hours at the locality, but from what I've read it's likely worth a second trip. I'm not really sure about an ID on this one, I've looked at the lovely ID guide @Bringing Fossils to Life put together and it could be either Bactrites or Michelinoceras (or something else entirely, as I know Michelinoceras was previously a wastebasket taxon). 

Have you considered the possibility that this might be a large Tentaculites? Just a thought and I'm not at all certain, since they are usually much smaller and the spaces between the spirals are mostly wider.